EatBar DC

No Longer In Business

Visited on a Sunday afternoon and I was the only person in the place - everyone else looking for bottomless Bloody Mary brunches I guess. Service was attentive, of course, since I had my own personal barman. Beer list was OK but didn’t match what was online. Food was tasty and creative, and staff recommendations regarding both were spot on. Another winner from NRG.

Eatbar easily has the most personality of the many NRG spots I visited while in D.C. Alike to all the other concepts of this restaurant group, it is focused on serving the best beer available in the area (which equates to an extent to the best beer available in the United States), with liquor and wine options that meet the same standard of excellence, and with high quality food. Smaller tap menu than the other places so beers rotate quickly; the downside here is that the online menu is unlikely to reflect whats on.

Notable quirks of Eatbar include: the awesome cassette-tape lined dining room wall and free jukebox; an excellent happy hour that includes a pet-nat wine pour (what?!) and specials on certain beers and small bites; an especially killer geeky wine menu that is a step beyond the high standard of the other restaurants; a homey, family-friendly vibe that isnt serious. Service here was by far the best; energetic, friendly, and thoughtful; the bartenders were in complete sync with one another and it was clear that they were close friends who also work well together. If I lived in D.C. I would spend most of my bar time here; fantastic place.

(updated rating) Been here several times now, and it’s turned into a place we can bring our kids, enjoy a few great beers, and snarf down some yummy meat (the pork-fat fried chicken is fantastic!). Don’t expect a cheap night, but with good service, good food, and incredible convenience (for me), it’s quickly becoming one of our go-to stops.

(original rating) Stopped in on the first Sunday after it opened. Lots of hipsters, but even they couldn’t put a damper on the great beer selection (even with only 18 taps), very good service, and great jukebox. I’ll try to update my rating once I’ve had some food. In the meantime, hats off to the arrival of NRG on Barracks Row, something I’ve been waiting for for a very long time.

Perhaps the only place in the States to drink Gänstaller on tap presently, it’s only a 10 minute walk from where I’m staying in DC this week, lucky me. My expectations were tempered since I’ve had Andy’s beer so many times outside of his brewery and rarely does the experience compare to fresh tank pours (where he can be certain of CO2 concentration for the proper texture, and we can be certain of freshness). The first glass of Zoigl I had at EatBar was delivered to the table sans head, but the aroma and flavor profile were spot on: herbal, woody, lemon-y noble hops with toasty and nutty Munich malt, superbly clean and perfectly balanced (though Germans would call it over-hopped and Americans call it under-hopped). The second glass I ordered was the first pour from a new keg and the rocky and sustained head atop the glass looked exactly how you have this beer from the brewery. The space is modern, comfortable, darkly lit, and somewhat small. The large-bowled stemware for Belgian beer is pretty much the perfect serving glass. Still they choose some other odd glasses, such as a snifter for a German Kellerbier (where’s my Willi Becher??). The vibe is more small local drinking spot and less of a comprehensive dedicated beer bar, which to me makes for a much more enjoyable experience. In addition to the typical geek beers they also focus on well-made Belgian styles from top-tier brewers (Blackberry Farm, Thiriez, Blaugies, etc.). I can understand someone finding the prices high ($9-10 for a lot of draft beers), but the selections are unique and special enough that I don’t mind, AND they offer half-servings for around $4-5 (in proper glassware), which is a huge plus.